Is There Any Hope That The Discontinued Green Glass Will Be “Resurrected”? Fake Watches

As the annual “Watches and Miracles” high-end watch exhibition approaches, what new products Rolex will release has always been a topic of discussion among players. Among the many predictions, there are also calls for the “resurrection” of the Milgauss type. This series came out in the 1950s and is famous for its excellent antimagnetic properties. After over half a century of ups and downs, the 2007 “green glass” has left a deep impression on players. More than ten years after its introduction, the classic green glass was finally discontinued in 2023, inevitably making many loyal fans regret it.

Rolex magnetic type (green glass)

Previously, Green Glass, Airbus, and Tanyi were known as the “three treasures” of Rolex sports models. These three products are very close regarding appearance, design, positioning, and price. Of course, some players also use the Oyster Perpetual as a benchmark. However, according to the official classification of the brand, the Oyster Perpetual belongs to the “classic” series, like the Datejust, Day-Date, and 1908; they are all formal fake watches, str, strictly speaking area within the scope of the “Three Treasures” of sports.

New Tanyi (2023) and Airmaster (2022)

Rolex’s “Three Treasures” all use black dials, Oyster case straps, and aperture designs with similar design languages. In recent years, Rolex has expanded its differences through iterative models. In particular, Tanyi not only offers two size options of 36 and 40mm but also introduces precious metal (18K gold), which significantly enhances the luxury atmosphere of the series. The new Airmaster also uses crown shoulder pads to improve its sports attributes. On the other hand, green glass has been unable to launch iterative models and even the entire grid magnetic series has been removed.

The discontinuation of green glass production is “reasonable” and “unexpected.”

The green glass Ref. 116400GV was released in 2007. The most prominent feature of this piece is its green watch mirror, hence its name. This kind of watch mirror is not only the first time for Rolex but also unique when looking at the entire bezel. Due to the use of a new material process, the output of the early Ref. 116400GV was relatively low, making it have the conditions to become a “speculator” – uniqueness and scarcity. At that time, the limelight of green glass crushed the Green Submariner and GMT-Master II, and it could be called the “originator of speculation” of Rolex.

“Green Water Ghost” 2005, 2010, 2020 models

From its first appearance in 2007 to its discontinuation in 2023, the life cycle of green glass is as long as 16 years, which is rare in modern Rolex watches. Taking the most famous “Green Water Ghost” as an example, it has undergone three iterative upgrades in the past 20 years: 2005 Ref.16610LV, 2010 Ref.116610lv, and 2020 Ref.126610LV. Green Glass has undergone no iterative upgrades, which it has yet to undergo since its launch. The brand only added new colors in 2014, and the first model, Ref. 116400GV continues to be retained. From the perspective of the product cycle, this “ultra-long standby” product should have reached the end of its life, and it is reasonable to stop production. Luxury replica watches.

“Unexpectedly,” Rolex did not launch any successor.

In 2023, in addition to axing the magnetic series, Rolex also axed Cellini. Subsequently launched, the 1908 model was also positioned in a formal style and used a precious metal case and leather strap. It was considered the successor to Cellini’s series. Cellini is “dead” but still “live.”

Unlike Cellini’s “follow-up,” Rolex did not develop a new series similar to its positioning after cutting off the magnetic product line. The long-established magnetic model has wholly disappeared from Rolex’s current product list.

The “resurrection” of the magnetic type is not unprecedented.

Although the Magnetic series has left the stage, players must not be too sorry. Rolex’s “resurrection” of the discontinued series is not without precedent, and this happened to the Magnetic model:

Magnetic type Ref.6451 (1956)

The first generation of lattice magnetic type was born in the 1950s. With the rapid development of industrial technology, the risk of people being exposed to magnetic fields is increasing daily. Especially for people engaged in specific occupations, there is an urgent need for a watch with reliable antimagnetic performance. The first Rolex magnetic model, Ref. 6451, was released in 1956. It uses a rotatable outer ring similar to that of the Submariner. The second hand is in the shape of a “lightning hand.” The word “Milgauss” is marked in red on the dial. The antimagnetic performance is up to 1000 gauss.

Magnetic type Ref.1019 (1960)

The second generation product of the series, Ref. 1019, while maintaining the same antimagnetic performance, abandons the rotatable outer ring design and uses an “aperture” Oyster case, whose appearance is closer to the “green glass” we are familiar with today. Regarding product cycles, green glass can only rank second to Ref. 1019: from its first launch in 1960 to its discontinuation in 1988, Ref. 1019 was on sale for 28 years, making it the “ultra-long standby king” of Rolex.

Magnetic type Ref.116400GV (2007)

More than ten years after the production of Ref. 1019 was discontinued, Rolex no longer launched magnetic watches, and the products at this stage were vacant. Finally, in 2007, Rolex “resurrected” this long-standing series under the name of the green glass Ref. 116400GV. Therefore, suspending production means it will only withdraw from the market temporarily. The magnetic type is still expected to return when the time is ripe. If new products are launched in the future, I have the following two expectations:

Enhance antimagnetic properties. As early as 1956, the first generation magnetic type Ref.6451 already had an antimagnetic performance of 1000 Gauss, and all subsequent works have followed this standard. The same is true for green glass. According to the brand, its antimagnetic performance is also 1000 Gauss. However, according to actual tests, the watch can withstand the influence of a magnetic field of 7,000 Gauss. Rolex is too “modest” in its performance promotion.

Omega AQUA TERRA 150m “Bumblebee”

What is the concept of 7000 Gauss antimagnetic? If we put it in 2007, when the product came out, it would have been a first-tier product. However, as times change, the antimagnetic performance of green glass has lagged behind similar products. Let’s not talk about the AQUA TERRA 150-meter “Bumblebee” released by Omega in 2013, which was the first to achieve 15,000 Gauss antimagnetic resistance. The brother brand Tudor Biwan ceramic model and the 2023 new version of “Little Red Shield” also passed the 15,000 Gauss antimagnetic “Master Observatory” Certification.”

Biwan Ceramic and “Little Red Shield” are diving watches, and competing for waterproofing is their “main business.” This also means that antimagnetic is just an additional performance of these two products. As for Rolex Green Glass, which is positioned as a professional antimagnetic watch, its central performance is not as good as the “additional performance” of its friends, which is a bit embarrassing. If the magnetic type returns to the market, it is imperative to strengthen the antimagnetic performance.

A sportier, more professional look. As mentioned, the Airmaster, also one of the “Three Treasures,” was upgraded in 2022. In addition to the Cal.3230 movement, the most critical improvement in the appearance of the new Airmaster is the addition of crown shoulder guards. In the past, this design only appeared on sports models with outer rings. As Rolex’s first “aperture” works with a crown shoulder guard, it dramatically enhances the sporty attributes of the Airmaster. Therefore, it is not ruled out that future magnetic watches will adopt similar shapes.

Historically, the main competing product of Rolex magnetic models was the IWC Engineer series. The first generation product, IW666, released in 1955, also claimed an antimagnetic performance of 1000 Gauss. However, in modern times, brands have downplayed the antimagnetic properties of the series. For example, the 2017 IW3570 no longer uses antimagnetic as a selling point. The latest work in the series, the 2023 Ingenieur Automatic Watch 40, is based on the Ingenieur SL designed by Zunda in 1976 and has successfully captured a share of the current hot “sports watch” market. Similar to the transformation of the IWC Engineer series, future magnetic models can undergo drastic changes in appearance and even pay tribute to the design of the first generation Ref.6451.